1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft and, in particular, to aircraft seating systems.
2. Background
Commercial aircraft often may include a passenger cabin. This cabin may be a section of the aircraft in which passengers travel. In commercial passenger aircraft, a passenger cabin may be divided into several parts. These parts may include, for example, without limitation, passenger areas, areas for flight attendants, a galley, storage for in-flight service, and other suitable sections. Seats within the passenger area may be arranged in rows and aisles. The amount of space provided on a per passenger basis may increase with the presence of a higher travel class. Different passenger areas for different travel classes may be divided using curtains and/or monuments.
In designing a passenger area, such as a cabin for an aircraft, maximizing the passenger density may be desirable. In other words, it may be desirable to fit as many passengers as possible in a passenger area while meeting various requirements for passenger seating. These requirements may include, for example, without limitation, a certain passenger space based on a class of travel, safety regulations, and other applicable requirements.
Passenger seating may be designed for passengers of a selected size. For example, without limitation, a seat for passengers may be designed to accommodate passengers within about the 95th percentile with respect to size. As a result, when a passenger has a size greater than about the 95th percentile, that passenger may be unable to use the seat.
Currently, airlines may place that passenger into two seats instead of just one seat in the aircraft because the passenger is unable to fit into a single seat. In some cases, the passenger may be asked to pay for an additional ticket because the second seat may no longer be available for sale to another passenger.
Sometimes passengers who require more than one seat may be unable to pay for the additional seat. Additionally, some passengers may refuse to pay for the additional seat, viewing the requirement to purchase an additional ticket as an unfair one. As a result, airlines may lose revenue and/or may have unhappy passengers when passengers are asked to pay additional fees for another seat.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.